Ventilation control



March 7, 1939. J, D, MCKNIGHT 2,149,976

VENTILATION CONTROL File d May 8, 1955 22 ZZ/FIG.2. 25

IQ IIIIIIIIIIIA 26 INVENTOR. JAMES D. MEKNIGHT BYWCl REM/ 4 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '7 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable dampers which may be used in connection with heating, ventilating, and other types of air conditioning registers. It is particularly suitable for use .in

5 largeventilating systems where hot or cold air is to-be blownintoa large room or auditorium withoutproducing drafts or other undesirable conditions in the vicinity of the room. The typeof louvres which are commonly used in registers of 10 this sort have very little effectupon the volume of air delivered until they approach a substantially closed condition. They ordinarily serve merely to deflect the air and to increase its velocity as the vanes are moved toward the closed 15 position.

In supplying heated or otherwise conditioned air to a large auditorium. it has been found desirable to produce relatively .high velocity jets well over the heads of the persons present. These 20 jets tend to induce circulation of v the air. already in. theroom. by drawing the nearby portions into the stream. This has several desirableeifects. vIt serves to temper the incoming air before it reaches the people for whom it is intended and it serves 25 to prevent the accumulation of stale air at different points.

By my invention an independent, accurate, and simple control of both volumeand velocity of the fluidsupplied to the room may be obtained. My

volume control obviatesthe necessity .of long drawn out balancing of heating or cooling systems, by simple regulation at each register which is readily accessible from the room. At the same time I provide for the production of high velocity 5 jets in a desired direction to induce circulation of the air in the room.

A general object of my invention is to provide a register having an adjustable damper system which is free from the objectionable features that 40 are now commonly found in such devices.

According to my invention the register has two separate controls, one for volume and one for velocity, which can be operated entirely independently of each other or which can be operated 45 in conjunction with each other to produce combined effects as desired. Thus, as previously stated, if a register is located in a large room, such as an auditorium, it will be found desirable to have a series of spaced jets of 7 air introduced 50 thereby near the ceiling. My invention provides for the regulation of the velocity of such jets simply by the application of a key or crank to the register face. On the other hand, if it should be desired to cutdown the volume-ofair entering 55 the room While keeping the velocity constant, this may also beeasily accomplished. .Or both volume and velocity maybevaried in. any desired way. In short any desiredcombination of volume and Velocity control isreadily. available.

A furtherobjectof my invention isto provide 5 a simple and efficient means for regulating the vanes or louvres of a register and keeping them inany adjusted position.

Numerous other advantages and features of myinvention willbe apparentfrom the more de- 10 tailed description which follows inconjunction with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Figure 1 is. a. horizontalsectional view through a register embodying, my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2,-.2, of Figure l and looking in .the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view. through the locking bar and adjacent portions of theframe, taken on line.3, 3 of Figure l, and

Figure .4 is a face view of the register.

Ina register containing. the preferred embodiment of myinvention the face i0 is preferably provided with. gratings II which. extend only in one. direction, that is, horizontally or vertically although, if desired, a checker work grating might be provided. Relatively. thin. fixed partitions 12 extend back from. the register face and serve to divide the register into. a number of passages l3, l4 and 15. These passages maybe connected to a source (not shown) of hot orcold air or air conditionedin other. respects. The number of passages will vary depending upon the size of the registerand the spacing of the partitions. Ordinarily it.wil1.be found desirable to place the partitions about two inches apart althoughv a greater orless spacing might .be adopted.

Immediately adjacent. the partitions [2 the louvres 16 are hinged aboutvertical axesv I! at points removed some distance. from theregister face.

In approximately the center of the passages l3, l4 and I5 additionallouvres .I 8 are provided, these being hinged at points. 19 relatively close to the register face. Thelouvresmayof course, be disposed either horizontallyor vertically andgmay be hingedlysupportedin any suitable way. I prefer to. employ, simply a .pinpassing through a tubular portion formed at one .edge of each vane because of its ease of operation and construction,

In some. casesone set. of louvres may be fixed while .the other ,setis movable.

Preferably the louvreslB and I8 are substantially thesame length as thefixedpartitions and they are pivoted a't such points thateither set blocks 22I having threaded. apertures.

register is small each bar will retain only a single of louvres may be used to completely close the register, as indicated by their dotted line positions 20 and 2| (Fig. 1). The hinges may be arranged in various other positions as long as they do not interfere with the principle. of operation to be described later. Louvres l6, in the construction shown, are of substantially the same depth, from front to rear of the register, as the fixed partitions but the central louvres l8 are preferably of slightly less depth although the relative size of the louvres may, of course, be varied. 7

Each set of vanes or louvres is preferably operated by a bar mechanism consisting of a lock bar 22 having transverse slots 23 therein which may be extended by suitable fingers 24. As illustrated,

these bars are adapted to move bodily in ahoriblock about midway between the ends but larger registers may have two or more blocks for each bar suitably spaced to provide a balanced action.

Screw threaded rods 29 and 30, one for each of V the blocks 22I, are rotatably supported at each end by the frame work of the register and have a square or other irregular shaped head at or near the register face, as indicated at 3| and 32.

Thus, these rods may be turned by applying a key or other turning means..to the rod heads at the register face to move the lock bars toward or away from the register face. It will be understood that each bar may be shifted independently of the other although, if desired, the bars might be connected for movement in synchronism.

At points intermediate the ends of each bar and corresponding to each vane of its set, there may be provided longitudinally elongated slots, such as shown in dotted lines at 33 (Fig. 1). These slots are adapted to receive pins 34 (Fig. 2), which are preferably rigidly attached to the louvres by riveting or other means as at 35, but may be adjustably connected thereto, if desired. The portions of the pins that engage the slots 33 preferably carried by a laterally projecting section 36 to obtain greater leverage and easier adjustment in opening and closing the louvres.

Arcuate slots 31. are cut on the lower and upper walls of chambers and 26, respectively, to permit the arcuate movement of the pins 34 that extend through these walls to contact the slots in the lock bars.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention. Thus, while I have shown only relatively few passages, a single one or any number of passages may be employed either immediately adjacent each other or at spaced intervals. For example, passages, each two inches wide, mightbe spaced two, four, or more inches apart by blanked-01f portions of the register face. The vanes, furthermore, could be inter-changed, that is, the volume controlling louvres I8 could be pivoted adjacent the fixed partitions with the velocity controlling louvres in the center. Also,'each passage might contain a single volume controlvane-and a single velocity control vane, each adapted to extend across the space between the fixed partitions. It is within the scope of my invention to eliminate the fixed also'contain only one screw threaded rod carrying both look bars, or one lock bar might be used to regulate both sets of vanes simultaneously. If necessary, the vanes or portions of each set of vanes may be individually controlled. The lock 7 bars are shown as channel members but may, of couse, be of any desired cross section.

. By my improved construction an assembly is thus provided in which the air coming into a chamber may be regulated in either or both of two different ways. If it is desired to completely close the register it maybe closed by either set of louvres. If a smaller volume of air is desired at the same velocity the louvres l8 are simply moved toward the closed position to make this regulation. If any particular velocity of jet is desired, this may be accomplished by simply moving the louvres I6 to provide the proper nozzle. If, on the other hand, some particular regulation is desired to provide a certain volume of air at a certain velocity the volume may be first regulated by adjusting louvres l8 and then the velocity of this volume controlled by simply adjusting louvres IE or the adjustments may be made in the reverse order or simultaneously. The manner in which the volume regulating louvres l8 function without substantially changing the velocity is described in detail in my Patent No. 1,931,263 issued October 17, 1933.

It will be readily apparent that my improved damper regulator has all the advantages of the devices described by said patent and in addition thereto a great many other advantages and possibilities.

By my improved vane operating mechanism, a positive and exact control of the louvres is possible. It is easily accessible, easy to operate, and holds the louvres firmly in place, reducing rattling to a minimum.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. I

.What I claim is: V

1. In apparatus of the class described, a conduit, and damper regulating means in said conduit comprising a plurality of pivoted vanes, ex-

tending from their pivots in the general direction of flow of the medium in said conduit and arranged to control the velocity thereof, and aplurality of pivoted vanes extending from their pivots in a general direction opposite to the flow of said medium in said conduit arranged to control the volume thereof, said last mentioned vanes-being disposed between said first mentioned vanes. V

2. In apparatus of the class described, a conduit, and damper regulating means in said conduit comprising a plurality of pivoted vanes, extending from their pivots in the general direction of flow of the medium in said conduit and arranged'to control the'velocity thereof, and a plurality of independently adjustable pivoted vanes 75 extending from their pivots in a general direction opposite to the flow of said medium in the said conduit arranged to control the volume thereof, said last mentioned vanes being disposed between said first mentioned vanes.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a register having a face and a frame extending rearwardly therefrom, vanes mounted therein which are pivoted about one of their edges with their pivots remote from the register face and other vanes mounted therein which are pivoted about one of their edges, with their pivots proximate said register face, said other vanes being positioned between said first mentioned vanes and arranged to cooperate therewith.

4. In combination with a conduit adapted to carry a gaseous medium, fixed partitions dividing a portion of said conduit into a plurality of passages, vanes in said passages pivoted to extend in the direction of flow of the gaseous medium, and other vanes in said passages pivoted to extend in a direction opposite to the flow of the gaseous medium.

5. In combination with a conduit adapted to carry a gaseous medium, fixed partitions dividing a portion of said conduit into a plurality of passages, vanes in said passages pivoted to extend in the direction of flow of the gaseous mediu and vanes pivoted to extend in a direction opposite to the flow of the gaseous medium, said first mentioned vanes being positioned adjacent the said fixed partitions.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a register having a face and a frame extending rearwardly therefrom for attachment to a conduit, vanes pivotally mounted in said frame with their pivots remote from the register face for increasing the velocity of air passed therethrough and other vanes pivotally mounted in said frame with their pivots proximate said register face for decreasing the volume of air passed therethrough, each set of vanes being independently adjustable from the register face, and said first mentioned vanes being in side by side relationship tosaid second mentioned vanes.

7. A register comprising a frame, a pair of louvers mounted in said frame and movable to- Wards each other to form a nozzle for air passing therebetween, and a second pair of louvers disposed between said first mentioned louvers for regulating the volume of said air independently of the adjustment of said nozzle forming louvers.

JAMES D. MGKNIGHT. 

